At the recent Huddle Global 2023, a prominent theme emerged: Kerala-based startups are not fully capitalizing on the growing opportunities in the defence and aerospace sectors. This observation comes despite the significant boost these sectors have received from the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiatives.
Col Sanjeev Nair (Retd), CEO of Technopark, initiated the discussion by highlighting a critical gap: the limited engagement of Kerala’s local startups with the iDEX Scheme. This scheme, launched by the Ministry of Defence, is designed to promote and support innovative solutions in defence and aerospace. Despite being a flagship program of the Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO), the response from Kerala startups has been tepid.
The iDEX scheme, known for its supportive ecosystem, aims to foster innovation and technological advancement by involving various industries, including MSMEs, startups, and academic institutions. It provides grants and other forms of support. However, Col Nair noted that the number of Kerala startups leveraging this opportunity remains disappointingly low.
Echoing this sentiment, Group Captain Saurabh Shiv of the Indian Air Force called for more active participation from startups. He emphasized the Indian Air Force’s need for indigenously developed solutions to enhance self-reliance and capacity. “The challenge is there, funding is available. The ball is in your court,” he said, urging emerging companies to venture into the defence sector.
The event also featured insights from Rajaguru Nathan K, Director of Astromedia Space Pvt Ltd, who shared his company’s journey with the iDEX scheme. The discussion extended beyond defence and aerospace, with a panel on “Corporate Innovation and Scaling up with Startups.” Panelists, including Rishabh Ganeriwala, Jyoti Pahadsingh, Sweta Aggarwal, and George Paul, stressed the importance for startups to deeply understand the problems they aim to solve. The panel, moderated by Vijetha Shastry, concluded that a startup’s location is less important than the relevance and effectiveness of its solutions.
Huddle Global 2023, organized by Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) at Adimalathura beach, near Vizhinjam, was a convergence of ideas and innovations. Attended by around 1,500 delegates, it showcased advanced products across various emerging sectors. KSUM, a Kerala government agency, continues its mission of fostering entrepreneurship and incubation activities in the state since 2006.
